Thursday, 6 March 2003

Svila/Mr. Phase/ Bumping Heads , March 6, 2003

Svila, Mr. Phase and Bumping Heads

North Melbourne Town Hall, 6 to 15 March, 2003

Reviewer:
Kate Herbert

Svila,
Mr. Phase and Bumping Heads comprises three short pieces that had success
during the 2002 Next Wave Festival. The
evening is eclectic because each employs a different form of contemporary
performance.

In Svila,
(meaning 'silk') Anna Liebzeit creates a sound collage combining spoken word, sound design
and song. The
story is based on Liebzeit's journey to Novi Sad in former Yugoslavia, to investigate the past of her father
and grandmother.

The
performer stands at a microphone like a singer fronting a band. She speaks
snatches of poetic narrative, describes her visit and creates an abstract
picture of her family's experience in war and immigration.

Liebzeit's
own vocal voice and abstract movement is underlaid with a musical and vocal soundscape
designed with Steven Adam. This
piece in interesting for its content although it is so fragmented the story
cannot be clear. Liebzeit is at her best when singing.

Mr.
Phase provides performer, Christopher Brown, with a vehicle to show his skill. He is a compelling and
talented performer. Margaret Cameron's stylish direction allows him to slide
and leap between character, by modulating voice and physicality.

The
piece, written by Brown with Thomas Howie, with sound design by David Franzke, is clever and funny .

However,
its content is hackneyed. It is another parody of television shows and
advertising.

Mr.
Phase is a man bred without human contact. His only character modelling was
through television images, roles and slogans. The
piece is relentlessly physical and the torrent of language becomes difficult to
absorb finally.

Bumping
Heads is performed by Brandan Shelper, with Claire Byrne. This
is an almost totally physical piece of theatre.

It is
a series of vignettes about relationship. The form crosses acrobatics and
contemporary dance. The least effective scenes are those with dialogue. Both
performers are charming and skillful. The collisions of body and personality
evoke human relationships through the body rather than dialogue.